HARRY POTTER AND THE FINAL SHOWDOWN
by Seawave
Summary: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince. Do not read if you do not want the book spoiled. Ye Hath Been Warned! Snape and Harry based.


Disclaimer: The Harry Potter Universe was created by J. K. Rowling.

No monetary profit is being made from this writing

Summary: Harry goes in search of Snape and Voldemort for revenge.

Big spoilers for "Half Blood Prince."

Drama - PG

**HARRY POTTER**

AND THE FINAL SHOWDOWN 

"Harry, no!" Hermione exclaimed. "It's too dangerous."

"She's right," Ron said.

"I've made up my mind and no one is going to talk me out of it or stop me."

Hermione let out a scream of anguish.

"I can't let him get away, not after what he did," Harry said. "I'm going to find him and-"

"Harry you can't!"

Potter glared at her.

"Do you think he should get away while innocent people like Stan Shunpike are locked up in Azkaban!"

"Of course not, justice must be done, but-"

"And I'm the one to do it."

"Harry killing rips the soul apart. For your own sake, I urge you not to-"

"I'm going."

"How on Earth are you going to find him?"

"With this."

Ron and Hermione looked at the clasp Harry held in his hand.

"I took it from Snape's room and I found an scrying spell in an ancient magic book. It required something of the person you're trying to locate."

"Harry, that's very dangerous."

Harry's eyes flashed. "More dangerous to Snape I would say."

Hermione sighed. "There's an ancient Chinese saying: 'let he who seeks revenge dig two graves.'"

"Then I'll dig one for Snape and the other for Voldemort."

Hermione shook her head, knowing nothing she or Ron said would make any difference as both friends worriedly watched Harry Potter disappear into the night.

"Hurry up, Draco!" Snape snapped. "You're lagging behind."

Malfoy struggled to keep up with Snape's brisk pace.

"Need I remind you we are now on the run. No doubt Potter had regaled all and sundry with what transpired back there."

"Trust him."

Snape's lip curled in disgust as they turned into a dark alleyway. As they approached the end, Harry stepped out into full view, wand at the ready. Draco drew his wand. Snape lowered it.

"Full marks, Potter," Snape said.

"Now I get full marks from you?"

Snape gave a cruel smile. "No doubt you've come to exact your revenge."

"Right you are." Harry held his wand menacingly.

"Well do it. That is if you have the nerve, which I seriously doubt."

"DON"T MOCK ME!" Harry screamed. "I'll kill you and Voldemort!"

"I'm sure."

Potter glared at Snape and raised his wand.

"I'm waiting, Potter."

Harry gritted his teeth.

"I haven't got all night."

"Expelliarmus!" Harry screamed at last.

Snape swerved and the blast hit the fence.

"I told you you didn't have it in you," Snape said. "Come, Draco, we're late for our meeting with the Dark Lord."

Harry was positively livid. "That was just a warm up."

"Whatever you tell yourself, Potter," Draco said.

"Ava…" Harry began, then stopped.

Snape did not turn around.

"Avad…"

Snape turned around, and drew his wand. "Your feeble attempts are starting to irritate me, Potter. Expelliarmus!"

Harry was thrown back into the fence.

"Do it now," Draco said. "I presume the Avada Kedavra will work even if he's unconscious."

"Of course it will."

"Then do it."

Snape smacked the back of Draco's head. "Idiot! The Dark Lord wants him alive."

Malfoy scowled. "Then we should take him with."

"Now is not the time. When he is ready he will come to us."

Draco grunted.

"Now follow me, unless you want to become as unconscious as Potter back there and don't expect me to carry you."

Scowling Draco followed Snape into the night.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed upon Potter's return. "What happened?" She asked taking in his bedraggled appearance. "Is Snape-"

"Alive, unfortunately."

"And you're lucky to be. Let's get you to the hospital wing."

"I was so useless," Harry complained. "So utterly useless. I wanted to do it, I really did, but…"

"You're not a killer, Harry," Hermione said, reassuringly. "Even after what Snape did, you found yourself unable to kill him."

Harry bashed the nearest pillar, then rubbed his hand. Ron came running to them.

"Did you do it?" he asked, breathless.

"No," Hermione snapped, "and he's all the better for it."

After Harry had recovered, Professor McGonagall came to him.

"Harry, I have something for you."

"Voldemort's whereabouts?"

Minerva winced at the name. "No, I'm afraid not. It's a letter."

"Later," Harry said.

"It's from Albus."

Harry stared at her. "Dumbledore …."

"Yes. He wrote it before he … died … I was on strict instructions not to give it to you until this date."

Harry took the letter and opened it as McGonagall left.

"Dearest Harry,

I realise the recent events have come as a shock to you, and you must be grieving right now. I respect your grief, but do not lose yourself in it."

Harry looked up, tears welling in his eyes as he read the remainder of the letter. Dumbfounded, Harry's hand flopped to his side, still holding the letter, hand shaking. He swallowed, more determined to find Snape now than ever. This time he did not tell Ron or Hermione.

Snape gathered a few things from Spinner's End and was annoyed when he was disturbed by a knock at the door. He surmised Aurors would have burst their way in, so he felt no danger as he opened it.

"Potter. What a pleasant surprise. Come to try and kill me again?"

Harry glared at him.

"You're lucky you caught me. Five minutes later and I wouldn't be here."

"I had a feeling you'd be here."

Snape stood back. "Well come in then."

Harry entered.

"Tea? Coffee? An infusion of asphodel and wormwood?"

Harry did not smile. "Where's Draco?"

"With the Dark Lord."

"Now if you don't mind, Potter, I am in rather a rush."

"I can see that. You know I could have the Aurors here in a matter of minutes. You could be smooching Dementors in no time. Assuming you even have a soul to be sucked out."

Snape winced slightly at the last statement. "Well what's stopping you?"

"This." Harry handed Snape Dumbledore's letter.

Severus began to read silently.

Dearest Harry,

I realise the recent events have come as a shock to you, and you must be grieving right now. I respect your grief, but do not lose yourself in it. I must also ask you not to place your anger onto Severus. This may come as a shock to you, but he did only what I asked him to do. He and Draco would have been killed otherwise. At one point, Severus and I had a terrible row over it to the point at which he stormed out of my office, blatantly refusing to do what I asked of him. In the end, he will realise that it has to be done of course. You must not blow his cover, also you must not hate him for what he had to do, Harry. It is for the greater good of all.

Your friend, Albus Dumbledore.

Snape seemed oddly touched by the letter as he passed it back to Harry.

"I had it checked," Harry said.

"Of course you did."

"It's genuine. Though don't expect me to forgive you."

Severus chuckled mirthlessly. "I am beyond redemption, Potter."

Harry actually felt a pang of pity at that point, but it was gone as suddenly as it had appeared.

"So you didn't come here to kiss and make up," Snape said. "What did you come here for, Potter?"

"I want you to teach me how to kill."

Snape regarded Harry. "Are you sure?"

Potter nodded. "You've done it before." Harry glared at him.

"It's not easy," Snape said.

"It's was for you."

Snape glared at him. "No, it wasn't and I'm not convinced that you have it in you, but we'll see."

The Ex Hogwarts Professor went and fetched a rabbit.

"There you go, Potter."

"But …"

"You can't expect to learn how to kill without killing something, now can you? Or is this too much for you?"

Harry swallowed and drew his wand and pointed it at the rabbit.

"Ava … A … Avada Kedavra…" he squeaked.

"Pathetic, Potter. That wouldn't even harm a fly."

Harry tried again to no avail. Snape did not look impressed.

"Avada Kedavra!" he screamed, green light shooting out of his wand, killing the rabbit stone dead. "That's how it's done."

"It seems so easy for you."

"If you even can't kill a rabbit how in the name of Merlin are you going to kill Voldemort?"

Snape fetched another rabbit. "At least Malfoy grasped it and you'd better hurry up, I'm running out of rabbits."

Harry tried again and again.

"Pathetic," Snape scoffed again.

Anger rose within Harry, then he saw something.

"Avada Kedavra!" he yelled, appearing to miss the rabbit completely.

"Well done, Potter," Snape said. "You've successfully killed a cockroach."

Harry allowed himself to smile.

"But you've a long way to go," Snape said.

"Can we stop now? I'm starving. What's for dinner?"

"Rabbit stew."

Harry stared at him. "You're joking, right?"

"So far you've killed a cockroach and a gerbil," Snape said. "Draco's at least managed a deer."

"I'm not Draco!"

"We can't stay here much longer," Snape said.

Within the hour Harry had killed a noisy chicken.

"That'll have to do," Snape said.

"Don't tell me we're having chicken for dinner."

Severus gave a nasty smile.

Draco returned within the next hour.

"What's he doing here?"

"Expelliarmus!" Snape exclaimed, throwing Harry backwards.

"The time is now," he said.

"It's about time," Draco said.

Harry came to in Voldemort's lair. Most of the Death Eaters were out killing on Voldemort's orders. Harry glared at Draco and Snape, despite Dumbledore's letter, he was now unsure about the ex Potions Master once more.

"Harry, Harry," Harry," Voldemort said. "A pleasure I'm sure."

Harry stood. "Not likely."

"Prepare him, Severus."

Snape gave a nod as he ushered Harry away. Draco watched them go with a sense of relief.

Harry tried to struggle away, but Severus' grip was firm. The next thing he knew he was stiff as a board. As Dumbledore had done, Snape had wordlessly immobilised him.

When he came to, he was strapped to a bed and blood was dripping from a cut on his arm into a large ancient goblet.

"So you were loyal to Voldemort all along … You played Dumbledore for a fool … You pretended to not want to-"

"SHUT UP, POTTER!" Snape screamed. " Don't say anything you know nothing about!"

Harry sank back onto the bed, feeling utterly helpless.

"Let me hurt him," Bellatrix pleaded, an evil glint in her eye.

"When the Dark Lord is finished with him, I have a surprise in store for you, Bellatrix," Snape said.

"Ooh, I hope it's painful."

"It will be."

"Can't wait."

The goblet was almost full now and Harry was despairing.

"Don't worry yourself, Potter," Snape said. "Soon it'll be all over."

Weakly, Harry laid back down. "I hate you."

"I know."

"You promised my mother and father would be safe," Draco wailed.

Voldemort smiled, a smile which made Draco's blood run cold. "They will be. The Dementors have brought your mother and father here."

Draco seemed relieved. Narcissa was over the moon to see her son safe, as was Lucius, but he did his best not to show it. Draco had never seen his father look so bedraggled and Draco began to have second thoughts about his Dark Lord.

The goblet was almost full now.

"Severus … Severus please…" Harry winced, remembering those were Dumbledore's last words too, and Snape had not succumbed one iota.

Snape also seemed to wince slightly, recalling the memory.

"Begging, Potter?"

"You can't do this." Harry leaned forward a little. "With my blood he'll become invincible. I'm not begging for myself, but for the thousands, if not millions Voldemort will bring to harm."

"I know what I'm doing, Potter."

"Do you?"

"Yes." Snape's voice was oddly gentle. "Lie back down, you'll feel more comfortable."

Harry did so, but comfort was the last thing on his mind right now.

When the goblet was full, Snape prepared a few things before taking it to Lord Voldemort.

"Don't spill a drop of that precious elixir," Voldemort warned.

"I don't intend to," Snape said with a smile. He knelt down before handing the goblet to Voldemort.

The Dark Lord stood and held it up.

"With this I shall become the most powerful dark wizard there ever was or ever will be."

Bellatrix's eyes had glazed over as she stared at her Master like an obedient House Elf. Draco stared too as Voldemort began to drink the vermilion blood. Snape looked triumphant as he stood. Voldemort finished the contents of the goblet and wiped his mouth which curved into a toothy smile.

"I feel it coursing through me … " And then his eyes bulged and he lurched forward.

"Master!" Bellatrix exclaimed, running to catch him. Snape made no effort whatsoever to help Voldemort. The Dark Lord pushed Bellatrix aside.

"SNAPE!" he roared.

Snape smiled. "More fool you," he said. "In your greed you didn't think to check the concoction."

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" Voldemort bellowed.

Bellatrix looked horrified.

"So you were Dumbledore's stooge all along…" Voldemort rasped. He laughed, then let out a cry of rage. "So what did you put in with Potter's blood?"

"A double lethal dose of the asphodelic potion. Undetectable. You'll be dead within five minutes."

"NO!" Bellatrix screamed. She raised her wand to kill Snape, but Snape beat her to it.

Voldemort let out a cry of rage, though not at Bellatrix's death. He pushed Snape to the ground, causing his wand to go flying. Racked with pain, Voldemort raised his wand against Snape.

"Avada…"

"Expelliarmus!"

Voldemort was thrown backwards. Snape scrambled to his feet and looked around. Harry stood there, his wand out. Snape saw Draco with him and surmised that the other had freed him.

"Crucio!" Voldemort bellowed, hitting Snape square in the stomach.

Snape hit the ground, but refused to cry out in pain. Voldemort cursed him again and again.

"Sectumsempra!" Harry yelled, cursing Voldemort, who was tyhrown backwards, but not before he wordlessly caused Harry and Draco's wands to go flying.

Harry knelt down to Snape and took his hand. "I'm sorry, I…"

"Don't get mushy on me now, Potter."

Voldemort stood. "I may die, but I'll take you all with me!"

Snape struggled to his feet and stood in front of Harry and Draco.

"Ohh how touching," Voldemort sneered. "Ready to die for these brats, Severus? Tragic really, since once I'm through with you they'll be the next to go."

"Avada Kedavra!"

But the curse had not come from Voldemort's wand as the Dark Lord fell dead. The trio looked over to see Lucius Malfoy, standing, black wand out.

Harry was dumbfounded.

"Father…" Draco blurted.

Lucius lowered his wand. "It became clear to me when he started using you, Draco. He was using all of us. I was a fool."

Harry just realised Lucius had saved his life, saved all their lives.

"But you were the one who weakened him, Severus," Lucius said. "To that I owe a debt of gratitude."

"That was your plan all along wans't it?" Harry asked Snape.

"Finally catching on, eh, Potter."

"I take back what I said … I'm still angry with you, but hate is an awfully strong word."

"Touched, Potter."

"So what will you do now? I can tell the Ministry of Magic that-"

"Still too many questions," Snape said. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappear, at least for a while."

"Where will you go?"

"Somewhere private."

"I never thought I'd find myself saying this, but good luck."

Snape gave a nod, before he apparated away.

It was not long before the Aurors and the Ministry of Magic were on the scene. Harry told them of Snape's deeds.

"Where is he now?" Rufus demanded.

"Who knows?"

Rufus eyed Harry who shrugged and went to join Tonks and Lupin.

"It won't be long before the other Death Eaters are found and brought to justice, And Lucius' actions may even vindicate him," Lupin said. "Harry, you truly have no idea where Severus has gone?"

"None, I swear."

"Well I hope he'll be all right."

"If I know Snape, he knows how to take care of himself."

As for Severus Snape, it would be a long time before anyone would see him again.


End file.
